Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law: Routledge Research in the

International humanitarian law (IHL) is a body of law that seeks to protect individuals and objects during armed conflict. It is based on the principles of humanity, necessity, and proportionality, and it prohibits certain methods of warfare, such as the use of indiscriminate weapons and the targeting of civilians.

Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law (Routledge Research in the Law of Armed Conflict)

by Dana Loesch

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1269 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	278 pages

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IHL is a vital part of the international legal framework, and it plays an important role in protecting the rights of individuals during armed conflict. However, IHL is often violated in practice, and there is a need for more effective strategies to ensure its compliance.

This article examines the challenges and opportunities for ensuring respect for IHL in contemporary armed conflicts. It argues that there is a need for a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the factors that influence compliance with IHL, and for more effective strategies to promote compliance.

Challenges to Ensuring Respect for IHL

There are a number of challenges to ensuring respect for IHL in contemporary armed conflicts. These challenges include:

• The changing nature of warfare. The nature of warfare has changed significantly in recent years, with the increasing use of non-state actors, new technologies, and hybrid warfare tactics. These changes have made it more difficult to apply IHL in practice.
• The lack of a global consensus on IHL. There is no universal agreement on the content of IHL, and different countries interpret the law in different ways. This lack of consensus makes it difficult to enforce IHL and to hold violators accountable.
• The weak enforcement mechanisms. There are few effective mechanisms for enforcing IHL. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over war crimes, but it is only able to prosecute individuals, not states. Other international tribunals, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),have been limited in their ability to prosecute IHL violations.

Opportunities for Ensuring Respect for IHL

Despite the challenges, there are also a number of opportunities for ensuring respect for IHL in contemporary armed conflicts. These opportunities include:

• The increasing awareness of IHL. There is a growing awareness of IHL among both the general public and policymakers. This awareness can help to create pressure on states to comply with IHL.
• The development of new technologies. New technologies can be used to monitor compliance with IHL and to hold violators accountable. For example, satellite imagery can be used to track the movement of troops and weapons, and social media can be used to document war crimes.
• The increasing role of non-state actors. Non-state actors, such as NGOs and civil society organizations, are playing an increasingly important role in promoting compliance with IHL. These organizations can provide training on IHL, monitor compliance, and advocate for the prosecution of war crimes.

Ensuring respect for IHL is a complex challenge, but it is essential for protecting the rights of individuals during armed conflict. There are a number of challenges to ensuring respect for IHL, but there are also a number of opportunities. By working together, states, international organizations, and civil society organizations can create a more effective system for enforcing IHL and protecting the rights of individuals during armed conflict.

Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law (Routledge Research in the Law of Armed Conflict)

by Dana Loesch

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1269 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	278 pages

FREE